University of Huddersfield Repository Bani Ismail, Loiy An evaluation of the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) within the construction sector in the United Kingdom and Jordan Original Citation Bani Ismail, Loiy (2012) An evaluation of the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) within the construction sector in the United Kingdom and Jordan. Doctoral thesis, University of Huddersfield. This version is available at http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/14055/ The University Repository is a digital collection of the research output of the University, available on Open Access. Copyright and Moral Rights for the items on this site are retained by the individual author and/or other copyright owners. 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The University of Huddersfield April 2012 iv ABSTRACT Recognising quality to be a key focus for competitiveness, Total Quality Management (TQM) was established and used in developed countries as a continually evolving philosophy for managing organisations. However, TQM in developing countries has received little attention and little research has been conducted into the successful implementation of TQM system in these countries in comparative with developed countries. The research described in this thesis assesses the adoption of TQM factors in the Construction industry in the UK and Jordan. This comparative study aimed to investigate if TQM implementation is fundamental for the Construction industry and to identify the critical success factors for successful implementation. In addition this research explores the benefits of applying TQM system and the main impediments to successful adoption, also the impact of TQM in improving competitiveness. In order to understand the reasons behind low competitiveness level by the Jordanian companies against international construction companies operating in Jordan, and to investigate the reason behind the sudden drop of the quality scale in the Jordanian Construction industry, both questionnaires and face-to-face individual semi-structured interviews were employed to fulfil the study objectives. The semi-structured interviews aimed to gain deep understanding of TQM implementation by targeting general managers, project managers and project supervision team, while the questionnaires aimed to investigate the implementation of TQM implementation, TQM implementation benefits and impediments, and TQM implementation impact on competitiveness (profitability, market share, quality services) from employees, clients, and final users’ perspectives in the UK and Jordan. Analysis of the data revealed that time and cost, juxtaposed with the non- implementation of TQM and learning practices, can further vex quality failure in the Jordanian Construction companies, which in turn manifest themselves as customer dissatisfaction, rework, bad reputation, and reduce turnover. Construction companies have not pro-actively embraced TQM system because it is mistakenly considered to be an extra cost and perceived as programme of change. While in the United Kingdom the results show that TQM system is being increasingly adopted in the Construction companies to solve quality problems. The implementation of a TQM based on cultural change in addition to changing management behaviour, to move the organisations toward TQM culture that focuses on quality as a key strategy to satisfy customers. The study has made a significant contribution to the knowledge of TQM. This research helps to understand the TQM implementation in the Jordanian Construction companies based on the UK construction companies experience in TQM implementation. Some recommendations for further research have been derived from this research, such as, Contractors need to focus on aspects of performance, time, the establishment of long-term partnerships with subcontractors and maintenance of a well-trained workforce to improve overall performance and quality services, Jordanian construction companies should embrace a degree of transformational change by adopting a customer focus strategy instead of a price focus strategy, Jordanian construction companies need a cultural change which cannot be achieved v without changes to norms, beliefs and values, and more attention is needed in the marketing element within the Jordanian construction as it has a direct impact on improving organisational market share. vi Acknowledgment The work presented in this document has been carried out in the Department of Leadership and Management at the University of Huddersfield. The author wishes to express his sincere appreciation and is particularly indebted to his Director of Studies Dr. John Cook and his supervisor Dr. Ralph Rollins for their guidance, encouragement, acting as a mentor throughout the project and for sharing their academic and practical expertise. The author wishes to thank the University of Huddersfield; this admirable and highly regarded academic institution. Special thanks for support, encouragement, patience and understanding go to my parents, brother, sisters and my best friends. vii Table of Contents Chapter one: Introduction 1 1.1 Introduction 2 1.2 Background and need for the study 5 1.3 Reasons and interests for researching Total Quality 7 Management (TQM) in the Jordanian and United Kingdom Construction industries. 1.4 Defining the research question 10 1.5 Research aims 11 1.6 Research objectives 12 1.7 Research layout 14 Chapter two: An Overview of the Jordanian and the United Kingdom 19 Construction Industries 2.1 Introduction 20 2.2 PEST Analysis of the United Kingdom and Jordan business 21 environment 2.2.1 Political overview 21 2.2.2 Economic overview 26 2.2.3 Social overview 29 2.2.4 Technology overview 33 2.3 Conclusion 37 Chapter three: Total Quality Management Fundamental Issues 40 3.1 Introduction 41 3.2 Total Quality Management concept 41 3.3 Total Quality Management Evolution (From Inspection to 48 TQM) 3.3.1 Quality inspection 50 3.3.2 Quality control 50 3.3.3 Quality assurance 51 3.3.4 Total Quality Management (TQM) 51 3.4 Total quality costs 59 3.5 Six Sigma approach 62 3.6 Major contributors to quality 63 3.6.1 The Americans who went to Japan 64 3.6.1.1 Edwards Deming 64 3.6.1.2 Joseph Juran 67 3.6.1.3 Armand v Feigenbaum 69 3.6.2 The Japanese contributors 70 3.6.2.1 Kaoru Ishikawa 70 3.6.2.2 Genichi Taguchi 71 3.6.2.3 Shingo Shingo 72 3.6.3 Western contributors 73 3.6.3.1 Philip Crosby 73 3.6.3.2 Tom Peters 76 3.6.4 Quality management leaders comparison and similarities 77 3.7 Quality awards 79 3.7.1 The Deming prize (Japan) 81 3.7.2 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (USA) 82 viii 3.7.3 European Quality Award (EQA) 86 3.7.4 Australian Quality Award (AQA) 89 3.7.5 King Abdullah II Award for Excellence (KAAE) (Jordan) 90 3.7.6 Charter Mark Award (Customer Service Excellence) (United 92 Kingdom) 3.7.7 Pride in Job Quality Award (PIJ) (United Kingdom) 93 3.7.8 Quality awards comparison and similarities 94 3.8 ISO as Quality Management Standard 97 3.9 ISO 9000 Series 98 3.10 Critique of Total Quality Management 101 3.11 Conclusion 103 Chapter Four: The Implementation of Critical Success Factors (CSF's) of 106 Total Quality Management 4.1 Introduction 107 4.2 The Critical Success Factors (CSF's) of Total Quality 109 Management 4.2.1 Top Management / Leadership Commitment 111 4.2.2 Quality culture 115 4.2.3 Process Planning and Strategic Quality Management (SQM 124 4.2.4 Employees empowerment 127 4.2.4.1 The psychological dimension 128 4.2.4.2 The multi dimensional perspective 132 4.2.5 Employee Training and Education 135 4.2.6 Supply Chain Management (SCM 139 4.2.7 Customer Satisfaction 145 4.2.8 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 150 4.2.9 Continuous Improvement (CI) 155 4.2.10 Performance Measurement Systems for Benchmarking 159 4.2.11 Impact on Society and Environment 162 4.3 Construction Project Success Criteria 164 4.3.1 Common Criteria 165 4.3.2 Unique Criteria 166 4.4 Critique of Total Quality Management 166 4.5 Total Quality Management Benefits 168 4.5.1 The role of TQM in achieving competitiveness 169 4.5.1.1 The role of TQM in improving profitability 170 4.5.1.2 The role of TQM in increasing market share 170 4.5.1.3 The role of TQM in improving quality services 171 4.6 Conclusion 172 Chapter five: Research Methodology 176 5.1 Introduction 177 5.2 Research aims and objectives 178 5.3 Research design 179 5.4 Research philosophy 181 5.5 Research approach 182 5.6 Purpose of the research 183 5.7 Research strategies 184 5.8 Time Horizon 186 ix 5.9 Data collection methods 187 5.9.1 Secondary data 188 5.9.2 Primary data 192 5.10 Primary data collection methods 193 5.10.1 Quantitative